June 27, 2009, 7 emails

M. G. wrote:

Hi all,

Over 100 people showed their solidarity at last nights rally at the Christie Pits Ice Rink.

It was great seeing so many people show their collective disappointment over the new temporary dump site in the park. The rink was almost 1/3 full after only 12hours of operation...imagine what can happen after a week.

The message was clear.....PARKS ARE NOT DUMPS!.....Parks are for People.

There were many community speakers including; Joe Silva and Stone (Toronto Eagles Soccer), Boris Steipe, Dr. Greg Silverman, Eban Bari, Govind Rao, Jonathon, Leslie Endes (Seaton Village Residents Association), Christine and other residents.

A protest is planned for Sunday June 28th from 7a.m. to 11a.m. Please bring your signs to the Crawford St. entrance (where there seems to be a large group of City employees with yellow t-shirts with "Customer Service" written on them...I guess they're greeters?)

Thank you for all your support and let's continue to find alternatives to Dumping in Parks!

B. S. wrote:

A few of us sat on Govind's porch to talk about what to do next. As an immediate activity, we think picketing the entrance at Crawford street will be an important first step. This should be a limited, focused, information picket.

• - We will see how many people actually can be mobilized into activity;
• - Regardless of dumpsters and other alternatives, we will reduce the

number of bags that would end up in the rink;

• - Elected officials can shut the dump down and media response is

effective to influence their actions;

• - We can target the people who have the most need for information, not

preach to the converted. So, if you are in the mood for some friendly, engaging conversations that maybe make a difference, come join us at Christie Pits Dump This Sunday, June 26. 2009 7:00 am to to 11:00 am Bring some signs, bring your friends, the more the merrier.

T. F. wrote:

Just walked to the park with my young boys and the stench is shocking. Plenty of yellow clad staffers helping a steady stream of traffic including a cube van load (driver of which of now brushing out the garbage scrps onto the sidewalk.

See you ALL at the picket tomorrow morning.

C. L. wrote:

For those who are planning to be at the gathering on Sunday morning , here are the slogans for signs we have compiled thus far. I've lifted a couple from peoples' comments on the petition list (thank you for your creative input!). Please feel free to send me more clever ones if you want...the shorter, the better, of course. Do bring your own sign, if you have one!

• Parks are Not Dumps!
• Parks are for People
• NO to Dumping in our Parks
• The City is Us
• Parks are for Refuge, NOT Refuse!
• Democracy in the Dumps
• Toronto... a City Within a Dump (made to look like the parks signs that say "a city within a park ")

See you there and don't forget to tell friends and neighbours!

R. K. wrote:

Thank you for making these points, C. I have been very discouraged by the growing disregard for labour rights and conditions of employment -- especially at a time when the very people and corporations who created this economic mess in the first place are getting tax cuts and handouts. I don't like having to accumulate our home garbage and recycling either, but it's a very minor inconvenience given the much bigger issues involved. It should also be possible to be against the way the City is handling the strike (eg garbage in the parks) without demanding even more attacks against City workers and their attempt to defend themselves from contract rollbacks.

Do working people have the right to decent working conditions, wages and benefits, and to be treated with respect by their employers -- or are these "privileges" only reserved for the usual crowd of pampered executives and professionals? If these things are progressively stripped away from categories of workers who achieved them after years of difficult organizing, negotiation and struggle, what becomes of those many other workers who don't yet have them? Why were such working-class gains possible in the past, and not now when labour productivity and overall abundance and wealth have actually grown several fold?

Shame on Mayor Miller for going after thousands of City workers like this. And shame on the hacks in the corporate media who have offered such one-sided and hysterical coverage of the strike.

V. S. wrote:

Further to your points below, a friend of mine who is on strike (not a garbage collector) told me that there is a large percentage of the strikers who do not have the 18 days sickness benefit that has become such a lightning rod for media and public anger. In fact, anyone who has worked for the city for less than 20 years. He asserted that they are trying to defend and gain something for the part-time workers who have no benefits at all, which was the group Jutta mentioned. He told me that they had offered to give up a week's vacation and also other benefits as well as agree to two years of zero % increase with 2% in the third year in return. if what he says is true, it appears that their Union Representatives have done a very poor job of publicizing their position and rationale.

In any case, it seems to me that the City Negotiators who earn far more than the city workers and supposedly have expertise in negotiations should be thoroughly ashamed that they have not been able to negotiate a contract. They have had a sufficient time frame in which to come to a deal. In fact I am wondering whether it has been a deliberate ploy on their part to bring the union to this strike. I am fast losing all faith in David Miller's leadership qualities as Mayor of this City.

I worked many years in negotiations and know that there are two sides to every story. I would like to see the full details of the final bargaining positions from both sides of the table and I am sure there must be others who would agree.

C. H. wrote:

Hi, following the news, I think our groups have a shared concern about the City using our public parks as dumps for private garbage. We have two large dumping areas set up in the parks at Sunnyside beach in our neighbourhood too. I am wondering if you would be interested in discussing any ideas of what we might be able to do jointly to continue to advance opposition to this issue.

I have created a facebook group called Get the Garbage Dumps put of Toronto's Parks - if you would like to encourage your supporters to join.

Thanks and good luck.